94 cops facing charges ‘in line of duty’

Ninety-four personnel of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 are facing work-related cases in the past 27 months.

Supt. Reyman Tolentin, PRO 7 spokesperson, said 50 officers are facing grave criminal complaints, some of which are murder, perjury and robbery complaints pending before the Ombudsman and prosecutors’ offices.

Some of the complaints were filed against anti-narcotics operatives.

Tolentin said the criminal complaints will not demoralize the police officers, saying they were doing their duty.

“If there are cases thrown against the police, it only means that the police are working,” he said.

Last September, the National Bureau of Investigation 7 filed before the military ombudsman complaints against Carbon Police Chief John Kareem Escober, PO1 Wilbert Perez and PO1 Rey Van Dadula over the death of fouryear-old Bladen Skyler Abatayo.

The boy was killed by a stray bullet during a drug operation in Barangay Ermita, Cebu City last July.

The police officers are facing grave misconduct charges. Separate charges of falsification by public officer, dereliction of duty and obstruction of justice were also filed against Escober.

Another case of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide was filed against Perez, while a complaint for dereliction of duty was filed against Dadula.

Tolentin said 44 officers have pending administrative cases like grave neglect of duty and less grave neglect of duty for their failures to attend court hearings. These cases are investigated by Regional Internal Affairs Service and other police investigation units.

Conviction of a criminal case can result in the dismissal of a police officer from service. An officer found guilty of an administrative case can face suspension.